Hundreds Protest ‘Not Guilty’ Ruling for ‘Cuddle Cops’

Hundreds of New Yorkers turned up outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Friday to protest the controversial acquittal of Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata, the NYPD cops accused of raping a woman in her apartment in 2009. (The two were handed a not guilty verdict on the rape charge, though an anonymous juror later said: “I definitely thought some funny business went on. Is it possible they raped her? Sure.”) Organized by feminist group Permanent Wave, the event drew 300 people to Centre Street. Chants included: “We are here to say / Rape is not okay!” A rape survivor at the event explained, “I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel protected.” One man went shirtless, with “Don’t Trust NYPD With Your Body” painted on his torso. Meanwhile, the NYPD monitored the event, making sure it didn’t get out of hand. Check out footage from the protest,below: